Love On Christmas Day
by Lady Redemption
Summary: Today is the day: Christmas day; and the day Aang says and does something he has wanted to do for a very long time.


**Author's Note:** I know the people in Avatar probably don't celebrate Christmas or anything, but I thought it'd be fun to write something about it anyway.

And about one of the presents that Sokka continues to give Toph each year for Christmas, I know it sounds weird, but I wanted something a bit funny in there, and that was the only thing I could think of. Plus, I could imagine Sokka giving Toph something like that, as a little joke. But maybe I'm the only one who thinks that?

Anyway, hope you all enjoy!

**-----------------------**

A fresh layer of snow had fallen around the Earth Kingdom city of Gaoling. There were no people bustling about like every other ordinary day would have.

This was no ordinary day, however.

It was Christmas day, the one day of the year where no one worked or shopped and everyone just stayed home with family and opened presents. Even the Avatar had a day off.

Avatar Aang sat around the Christmas tree with his friends, Sokka, Toph, Suki, and, of course, his beloved Katara.

"C'mon, Twinkletoes, hurry up and pass out the presents. I _can't wait _to see what Snoozles got me _this_ year," Toph was saying as Aang passed out the gifts. She smirked over in Sokka's direction.

"Oh, come on, Toph," Sokka said, pretending to be exasperated, though he really didn't mind Toph's teasing. "You can't pick on me forever just because I got you a cool-looking rock to Earthbend with each year."

Each year Sokka had gotten Toph a, what he thought was, a cool-looking rock that he thought she might like to Earthbend with if she was stressed or bored or whatever. But he had, of course, gotten something else to give to her as well. He wasn't that insensitive. Still, Toph enjoyed teasing him about the rocks.

"Besides," the warrior continued, "I think you'll like this year's present."

"Which one? The rock or the other gift you give me to cover up the fact that you got me a rock?" Toph was still merely teasing her friend. She really didn't even mind the rock presents that Sokka gave her. In fact, she enjoyed them a lot and hadn't even Earthbended one, though Sokka--or anyone else for that matter--didn't know this. She actually cherished the little presents--because they were from Sokka. Even though she knew she had no chance with him because he was in love with Suki, Toph still cared for him as more than a friend. But it was, and always would be, her own little secret.

"The other one," Sokka replied, a small smile on his face. He was certain Toph would like her present a lot.

Aang smiled a little himself as he continued passing all the presents out. He knew what Toph's present from Sokka was, and he was certain she'd like it.

He soon finished passing out the presents, but slipped a little present behind his back when no one was looking, which had a simple little card attached to the wrapping on the outside:

_To: Katara, From: Aang,_ it read. Aang was going to give it to her after all the other presents were opened.

Everyone began opening their presents, their faces lighting up when they saw the gift inside and there were "thank you"'s and other words of gratitude going around.

Toph's present from Sokka was the last to be opened because Sokka had insisted that that was when he wanted Toph to open it. She tore the wrapping off and opened the box to get to the gift. The Earthbender ran her fingers over the soft fabric, her lower jaw dropping slightly as she began to recognize it.

"No way," she breathed. "This couldn't be...is it?"

Sokka had a happy and pleased smile on his face at Toph's reaction. "Yes, it is. Your Blind Bandit outfit, now accustomed to fit you perfectly once again."

Toph's Blind Bandit clothes had been torn rather badly in the final fight with the Fire Nation, where the late Fire Lord Ozai had been defeated, and the war was ended. That was ten years ago. Those clothes had gotten too small for her and even seemed past repairable, no matter how much Katara tried to fix them. Toph had gotten a new sort of clothes to wear as the Blind Bandit--for she still went to the Earth Rumble Tournament to keep her title as the champion--but she'd always complained that they just weren't the same as her original.

"How did you fix it?" Toph asked as she took the outfit out of the box and laid it on the ground to "see" it better. Yep, it was exactly the same.

"Well, Katara helped me a little with repairing the tears and whatnot, and she helped a litte with finding the right fabric, and she helped a little with making it the perfect size for you-"

"A little?" Katara cut in, giving her brother a look.

"Okay, okay, a lot, so I guess technically it's sort of from her, too. But I still did a lot of work with it too."

Toph laughed. "Thanks, Sokka. Thanks, Katara."

"You're welcome, Toph," they both replied.

"So is that all the presents?" Suki asked. The other were about to say, "I guess so," when Aang stood up, the little present he'd hid behind his back now in his hand.

"No, I have one more. For Katara."

The Waterbender looked almost relieved, and he knew why. There hadn't been another one from him to her, and she'd probably been hurt, thinking that he'd forgotten her. But that was something he would never ever do.

The young Avatar's heart pounded loudly in his chest as he handed his gift to his girlfriend. This was something he'd looked forward to anxiously but now he was super nervous over it. Maybe he should have waited and gotten something else. There was no turning back now, however.

"Oh, Aang, it's beautiful!" Katara's voice broke into his thoughts. She'd opened her present and was smiling down at the gift. It was a necklace similar to her mother's, except this one's carved part was of the Water Tribe and Air Nomad insignias combined to make one. "Thank you so-" She stopped when she looked up from the necklace to find Aang down on one knee in front of her.

Aang smiled a warm, loving smiled as their eyes met. This was the moment of truth.

"Katara," he began, "I love you. From the first moment I met you, I loved you. I love everything about you. You're the most wonderful person I've ever met in my entire life. Without you, I would have no reason to live, nor would I ever be alive to find one. I can't imagine my life without you, except that it would be incomplete, miserable, and empty. So it brings me to ask this question." He paused briefly before saying the four words he'd wanted to ask for a long time, "Will you marry me?"

There was a silence that seemed to last an eternity. Everyone's attention was on Aang and Katara, though the two hardly noticed. To them, it was as if they were the only two people in the room, or even the planet for that matter. Their eyes were locked on the other's.

"Oh, Aang..." Katara began, her heart thundering in her chest and looking like she was going to cry out of joy. Aang's heart was doing the same as hers. "Aang, I..." She trailed off once more. She knew what she wanted to say, but the words got caught in her throat. Aang just waited patiently, silently, hopefully, with a nervous smile on his face.

Katara closed her eyes for a brief moment, preparing herself to say the words she desperately wanted to say. When she opened her eyes again, she threw her arms around Aang, necklace still in hand, and declared, "Yes, Aang! There's nothing that I'd rather do more."


End file.
